Mining apparatus



J. A. McARDLE.

MINING APPARATUS.

APPLICATRON FILED MAY 3, 1920.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

WWW

HT STATES JAMES A. MCARDLE, or BREMER'I'ON, WASHINGTON.

MINING ArrAnA'rUs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

Application filed May 3, 1920. Serial No. 378,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. MGARDLE, a citizen of the United States,and residing at Bremerton, in the county of Kitsap and State oflVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MiningApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hydraulic mining system, and particularly tosuch a tem for removing ores and the like from the bottom of streams.

The invention is more particularly directed to a conveyor constructedwith rifiles for retaining material and the further application of meanswhereby any material lodged in said riflies may be forced into thestream passing longitudinally of the conveyor.

The invention is illustrated in the acconr panying drawings in whichz-Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of thesystem.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus showing thesame in applied position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the conveyor, showingparticularly the relative position of the auxiliary pres sure pipe.

The improved apparatus comprises a conveyor 1, preferably of tube-likeform having a series of transverse rifiies 2 on the bottom wall thereof.The top wall of the conveyor is formed with a series of closures ordoors 3 which may be sealed in closed position when desired or opened toprovide access to the interior of the conveyor for reaching the materialon the riflies. The inlet 'end of the conveyor is provided with ascoop-like end at, the bottom of which scoop-like end is also providedwith riffles 2. At one side the conveyor is provided with a pipe 5preferably extended lengthwise the conveyor and scoop, the riifles beingeach formed with an opening 6 to permit the passage of said pipe. In usethe conveyor 1 is positioned in the stream from which the ore is to begathered, the

scoop 4: being forced into the bed of the stream, indicated at 7. Theopposite end of the conveyor is preferably extended and opens belowthesurface of a pool 8 remote from and below the stream, so that thematerial delivered through the conveyor will be discharged into saidpool for collection. Pipe 5 is formed at a point between each pair ofadjacent riiiles with an opening 9, and water is adapted to be forcedthrough said pipe, from a pump or the like so that the water deliveredthrough the openings 9 will'maia tain the heavy material caught by therifiies in a continual state'of agitation so that it will be picked upby the stream and eventually delivered into the pool 8. In connectionwith the conveyor 1, the system utilizes a pipe 10 through which wateris forced under pressure, the open end of the said pipe 10 dischargingonto the bed 7 of the stream within the out line of the scoop 4t.

From'the above description it will be apparent that the materialdislodged by the pressure stream through pipe 10 will be forced throughthe conveyor and delivered into the pool 8. The heavy material will becaught by the riitles as it settles from said stream, but as saidmaterial is agitated by the auxiliary stream from the openings 9 of thepipe 5, the material will be gradually raised until it is finallydelivered into the pool.

lVhat I claim is:--

A hydraulic'mining system including a tube having an open end to beembedded in the source of ore supply with the opposite end located in areceiving pool, means for agitating the source of supply at the entrantend of the tube, rifiles arranged transverse the tube in spaced relationthroughout a de terminate length thereof, and water pipe extendinglengthwise the tube and having openings leading to the space between therifliesi JAMEs A. MCARDLE.

